Rebecca Smith
Health ReporterRebecca Smith is an award-winning reporter and producer for the KBIA Health & Wealth Desk. Born and raised outside of Rolla, Missouri, she has a passion for diving into often overlooked issues that affect the rural populations of her state – especially stories that broaden people’s perception of “rural” life. She created a conversations-based journalism project, Missouri Health Talks, in 2016 that empowers people throughout the state to share their stories of access to healthcare – in their own words.
She has degrees in both Journalism and Chemistry from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, and often says health reporting is the perfect marriage of individual’s stories and reporting on science.
You can reach her at smithbecky@missouri.edu or 573-882-4824.
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Paige Spears has been incarcerated in the Missouri Department of Corrections for nearly 35 years. He was given a life sentence plus 30 years for an armed robbery he committed in 1988 – where no one was physically injured. He spoke a little about how he’s changed while being incarcerated and what he hopes to accomplish if he’s released.
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Flu shots are available at the 18th annual Adair County Health Department drive-thru clinic on Wednesday.
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University of Missouri Health Care will soon offer Saturday drive-thru vaccination events for both the updated flu and the newly formulated COVID-19 vaccines – beginning this week.
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Columbia/Boone County Public Health & Human Services will be at Mid-Missouri PrideFest this weekend – offering STI testing, education and a new rapid test that checks for both HIV and syphilis.
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Dr. Stephanie Logan is the CEO of DeafLEAD – a Columbia-based group that supports the Deaf and hard of hearing community and recently launched a new ASL crisis line through 988.
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University of Missouri Health Care recently made a decision to end some gender-affirming care for all transgender minors. Last Friday, in response to this decision, hundreds gathered on MU’s campus in support of the transgender community.
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The new, updated COVID-19 vaccine was approved yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and is expected to be available in coming days.
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Columbia-based organization DeafLEAD was chosen as one of two national partners that will provide ASL crisis services through the 988 Lifeline.
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People who are formerly incarcerated and seeking employment are often rejected by employers because of their criminal record.
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The Missouri State Fair has wrapped up another year – full of exhibitions, carnival rides and agricultural competitions. KBIA was in Sedalia last Thursday to speak to fairgoers about what brought them out this year.